A week ago at Arkansas’ Norfork Lake there was only a 3-pound, 10-ounce difference between first place and 12th place going into the final day. This Sunday Dave Lefebre has a 4-pound, 6-ounce lead over second place Takahiro Omori. And everybody else in the top 10 is way back – from 9-1 for third place John Crews to 17-5 for 12th place Steve Kennedy. (Add in Cliff Crochett in 13th and he’s 17-9 back of Lefebre.
This is definitely a two-man race for the title. The old rule is that anyone has a chance whose margin is within the weight of the biggest bass caught in the tournament. Gerald Swindle yesterday matched Casey Ashley’s 6-14 big bass from Day 1. So barring a miracle, it’s Dave Lefebre vs. Takahiro Omori, who enters with a 4-6 handicap.
By the way, the other first- through 12th-place margins this year were 13-3 at the St. Johns River and 15-5 at Winyah Bay. Britt Myers came from 3-4 back to overtake Brett Hite on the last day at Winyah Bay. Otherwise, the Day 3 leaders held serve.